DESPITE their spirited display when losing 3-0 to Hermes at Belfield last week, there may not have been too many Leinster League watchers who tipped Maids to take anything from their match against Muckross on Saturday.
Two points, however, is exactly what Maids got after reducing the league's top scorers to a single Mary Logue strike in the first half and equalising in the second through a Karen Deering penalty. The hatches were battened down by Maids for the rest of the game and they held out for a surprise draw.
Muckross were without goalkeeper Sandra O'Gorman and captain Teresa Hurley, who broke a bone in her left hand while training with Leinster last week. Hurley was a frustrated spectator at the match as she witnessed the defending champions, uncharacteristically, draw their third match of the season.
"It was one of those days. We had them under a lot of pressure but they defended really well and our passing was not what it should have been," said Hurley who will see a consultant tomorrow to find out when she will be able to return to action.
"We always knew this year was going to be tougher because the standard is evening out. We expected four or five teams to be vying for the top places which is what has happened. Last year there were only two or three teams in serious contention, so it's great for the League that there are a few more involved this year - but we're still confident that we can produce the goods," said Hurley.
Loreto are having no trouble producing the goods these days. Saturday's 4-0 win over Glenanne was their sixth successive victory of the season and they stay a point ahead of Old Alexandra who handed out a 5-0 thrashing to a dejected Pembroke Wanderers team at Whitechurch Park on Saturday.
Loreto's next league opponents will be Old Alexandra in what will be the leaders' first match against a team from the top five and the first serious test of their title credentials in the new campaign.
Meanwhile, fourth placed Hermes helped open up a seven point cushion between themselves and Trinity, who are fifth, after beating the students 3-0 at Belfield, while a Tracey Skoyles goal gave Clontarf their first points of the season when they heat Railway Union at Dardistown.
